Roses

The roses on the kitchen table are so beautiful that my deep frozen creativity was activated and started showing the signs of the revival)).
300gr. Arches paper is amazing.

This handsome with fashionable hairdo was smiling at me waiting for the apple. He knows the art of pleasing for sure)). This photo is one of my Zoo photos done about month ago. I went there to make sketches but ended up photographing the beauties.. 

Autumn Day

Where does inspiration come from? Why one day you see ordinary building and feel that you have to stop and start sketching otherwise you can die (well, too much drama here, but you have got the point)). And why next day you see beautiful buildings, colors, composition and turn away your head in disappointment?
I hope this disappointment will leave me alone and the joy of creating will be back.

Meanwhile I post the quick sketch done with Pentel ink-brush pen. I have just bought it and could not figure out how the pen worked, the brush was almost dry all the time. Then I added some watercolor pencils. And returned back to "I do not want anything arty around me" mood.

I hope your creativity never leaves you.

Postcards

I could manage to do only these two postcard size paintings during the week.
The first one is my contribution to "A Nos Pinceaux" challenge, decided to paint it in F.Ultramarine/BurntSiena with a touch of warm green.

The second one is my follow up of the article in "Wet canvas". The "Foliage Tutorial" spent two years on the shelf and was read and experienced at last on Sunday.
Oh, when looking for the link to the article, I taped "Foliage Tutorial" in "Wet Canvas" search window and got 7 (!) pages of useful links. People, you are so kind and sharing, thank you so much!

Oh, Candies!

This time I was not late with entry to new challenge in Rookiepainter.

I want to share with you new treasures, art blogs:
http://www.steveflemingartiststudio.com/blog/
http://paulbaileyart.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/first_sin/

Awarded!

My friend Louise (dive into her amazing photoblog!) honored me with this award and gave me the opportunity to pass it on to my favorite 15 bloggers and their blogs, so special, versatile and unique. Thank you, Dimple!
But before fulfilling this pleasant part I have to include 7 facts about me, which sounds a lot more difficult to my introvert nature. But rule is rule, so:
1. I prefer to wake up late and go to sleep late.
2. Between celery and ice-cream I choose ice-cream.
3. One part of me feels like a queen, another part feels like a loser.
4. The older I get, queen becomes stronger.
5. I can watch Paul Newman's movies like spellbound.
6. Being a chief-cook is my "Plan B". 
7. I can read small letters with my left eye and look far with my right eye, myopia and presbyopia.


And now the award goes to (alphabetically):

1. "A part of my Art"

2. BBC -good food recipes

3. Brattleboro

4. Carraol Images of Mexico City

5. The Creative Bug

6. De Draad Aquarellen

7. Gry's Bilder

8. Jala Pfaff 

9. Jane Minter's Sketchbook

10. Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo

11. Joan Coch

12. Mikko Tyllinen's Art Blog

12. Pasadena Daily Photo

14. Stephen Hall

15. True Colors

16. Watercolors and Words

17. World Is a Rainbow

I have to stop now... And I am so sorry that I can not keep on awarding so many talents I know and admire.

Day Not Wasted

24x32cm, Montval paper, Watercolor

Two new paintings today. And two photos made 3 weeks ago.
I liked painting swans this time. My usual inclination for bold colors and loud contrasts was swapped for tender cools and warms on swans's bodies. I liked the result. 

20x40cm, Daler-Rowney paper, Watercolor

The greens in the landscape were inspired by Jane Dobie's chart of greens and aimed to train patience, to help paper to dry till the right condition (though patience is not my strong feature for sure).

Apples are always the obsession and temptation, I think you agree. Right, Judy?))
 

Fantastic game of the sun with smoke from the grill's fire.

Nature Mort and other paintings

Sketchbook

 I decided to show you in one post all my sketches and drawings of the past week.
First one is the portrait of almost dried roses from the vase. I wanted so much to try to paint dying flowers.
"Still life" translates into Russian in its French version, "Nature Mort" - dead nature. So my painting is "dead nature" literally and philologically.

The second painting is my attempt to copy the masterpiece of J.Zbukvich (the pleasure to see again his paintigs is here). Three layers total, first one - weak wash, second one - mid tones and the third one - darks. It is so easy to be genius (I am ironic, sure that you understand))

Montval paper, 24x32 cm

This sketch was done when I saw in the window two huge colorful objects with interesting shapes.

Sketchbook

And then I went to my parents place for the week-end, best place for sketching during warm autumn days.

Sketchbook

 This meant to be grapes in braided basket:

Sketchbook